AllFreeNovel
Share Us
This must be Khaled’smajlis, or public reception room.
As Rais showed her to a seat she considered who else had visited here. Prime ministers, presidents, other royals... Since Khaled had taken on his father’s role, probably all of them.
From beyond a second set of doors the murmur of voices reached her. One had a deliciously deep rumble. The voices grew louder as the doors opened. She took a deep breath. She must remember she was here for Nate. There was nothing delicious about it.
Then Khaled walked in and every good intention deserted her. Dressed head to toe in black, his hair tousled as if he’d just run a hand through it, he was utterly, bone-meltingly beautiful.
He crossed the floor in a few easy strides. ‘Lily, I trust you are rested and feeling refreshed?’
‘I am, thank you.’
She sounded breathless. She was. That face. Thatvoice.
She shifted position, sitting back on the sofa—only to find her feet dangling in mid-air. She quickly tipped her sandals off. They landed on the carpet with a soft plop as she folded her legs beneath her.
A royal brow lifted. Perhaps it was inappropriate to be so casual in these surroundings, but right now she didn’t care. She couldn’t let him see how he’d affected her just by crossing a room with his elegant, loose-limbed stride.
It didn’t help that she knew exactly how he looked beneath his clothes. Only a narrow stretch of body between waist and thigh was a mystery. Her gaze lingered there before she looked away, horrified that she was actually mentally undressing the man.
Khaled settled in the seat opposite. ‘Your room is satisfactory?’
‘Yes, thank you. The suite is lovely.’ Being angry at her situation was one thing—being ungracious quite another. And at least he was trying to be civil. ‘The view from the balcony is fabulous.’
Khaled looked puzzled. ‘The view?’
‘The gardens and the beach?’
His eyes narrowed. ‘You are in the guest suite in the Family Wing?’
‘Your mother said it was the most comfortable.’
‘She’s correct, it is. But those rooms are reserved for particular friends of the family—which, under the circumstances, I’m sure you would agree you’re not.’
So the polite veneer hadn’t lasted long. Gone, too, were all traces of the passionate interlude from that morning. The Stern Prince was definitely back.
She lifted her chin. ‘Should I ask to be moved, then?’
‘No, it would cause too many awkward questions. You will have to remain there for the time being.’
‘And how long will that be? You can’t just keep me here. I have a life to start in London. A new flat...a job.’
‘I understood you were unemployed at present.’
He wasn’t asking a question. It was a statement of fact. She’d been lying about the job and he knew it.
‘For what it’s worth, I’m sorry—at least for that part of your predicament.’
She was surprised to hear genuine compassion.
‘I’m not completely heartless, Lily.’
‘All evidence to the contrary...’
His jaw tightened. ‘You break into my rooms, search my possessions, and you accuse me of behaving badly?’
‘I wouldn’t have been there at all if you hadn’t believed the worst of someone you should trust. Nate isn’t capable of betraying you.’
‘And you,’ he said sharply, ‘are fooling yourself. He’s left you alone to deal with this. You are only here because of his dishonesty.’
